So today was the big launch for Adobe’s Creative Suite 5 packages. As usual, an online event was created to reach a world-wide audience. According to one evangelist, it delivers “Eye-bleeding cool features that will make your work stand out in the crowd”.
What did I learn over the 37 minute lightning speed launch? Here’s a selection of the major features covered.
Omniture, now an Adobe company, is on the scene to help test Adobe content for optimization. The company’s focus is on search management, online business optimization and web analytics, now built into the CS5 platforms.
The new Flash 10.1 player integrates the world of smart phones, digital tablets and other connected devices and offers cross-platform and game play support. Using Adobe’s new Browserlab software, you’ll now be able to preview your project in several browsers on the fly. There’s an onion skin view for subtle browser rendering differences and with Flash Builder, you’re now able to export files to a variety of screens (e.g. iPhone), create an app and upload it to the Apple app store.
New to CS5 is 64-bit processing for Mac and Windows as well as Mercury Playback and rendering engine.
The variable width tool for Illustrator received a brief introduction.
CS Review (part of CS Live) initiates a review to share online. Comments will appear within the document.
New to InDesign are the live animation preview and media panels. Interactivity will become a whole new beast within CS5 InDesign.
After Effects is now a native 64-bit application promising speedier results. Rotoscoping with the new Roto Brush will auto learn the next frame in a movie sequence. A huge time-saver.
With new Flash Catalyst, designers can create content from within native Photoshop and Illustrator files, without having to write code.
Device Central CS5 offers 100s of new and shipping device view ability for application development.
Several new features Photoshop CS5 were also discussed. Puppet warp (allowing the user to drop pins on an image and make natural distortions) and the Content-aware tool look to be both the coolest and most useful of the bunch. Additionally, lens correction (based on lens and camera used) will allow users to share lens profiles online. You’ll now be able to merge images to HDR Pro, define and blend bristle brush settings and use post crop vignetting to enhance photography.
Upgrade and product pricing looks to be about the same as CS4.
I’m looking forward to using the CS5 Design Premium when it ships and hope to add feedback once I get my hands dirty with it.
